Josh Ashman

Very nice Bobby. Thanks for sharing how you got the color on the flower centers!

Really nice work! What did you use to resist the black?

Very nice Bobby!

I might see if you could do as JLS says and score a line parallel to the front stitch line to "hide" it. Or maybe score it then sew it, basically hide it by covering it up with something that you did mean to do. Everybody's standard is different, one guys "piece with a minor flaw" might be another guys "best he's ever done". We've all seen work get posted that gets a lot of praise that can be picked apart depending on what you consider to be important and how picky you are. If the standard is that it has to be perfect or it must be tossed then we all need to toss everything we build. Me, you, Electrathon, Dwight and everybody else, because nothing that any of us have, or will build is perfect. You do the best job you can every time and try to make the next one better than the last one. All the best, Josh

Very nice Bob, thanks for sharing those. Classy timeless work for sure! All the best, Josh

Thanks JLS!

You might try just tucking the free ends back under itself and leaving some tail on them. Offside billets and cinch straps on western saddles are generally laced on that way. If the lace is fairly snug in a holes and tight where you run the 2 through 1 hole then they generally won't come loose and often have to be cut apart. A knot like Red described would also work well. All the best, Josh

Thanks Klaykrusher! My process is; cut out, tool/carve (if there is any), dye, glue, sand edges, sew, bevel & dye edges, mold, top coat. If I want the stitching the same color as the leather I move the dye step back to right before it get's molded. I like to use glycerin saddle soap on my western rigs and tack because it seems to shine up the right amount. It also leaves the leather feeling an smelling the way I like. I'll spay a little on a scrap of shearling then sometimes wipe that across a bar of SS as well, then rub it into the leather, let it sit for a while and buff it off with a soft cloth. All the best, Josh

Good input Red! Yes, thank you for clarifying that! A competition cowboy action rig has about as much in common with the "western" rigs I make as a bronc saddle does with a wade saddle. Different things for different purposes.

Forester, It's a no-wax floor cleaner/polish. I use it in place of Resolene as it's cheaper and readily available here in the States, you can find it in about any store that sells household cleaners. I don't use it on my "western" rigs, but doe use on "carry" holsters and gear. For my western type holsters and tack I use NF oil followed by Aussie wax and liquid glycerin saddle soap. The primary difference being whether I want a "rigid" finish product, like a carry holster, or a softer finish like a western rig. Everybody has different thoughts on this and what's "right" for me may not be "right" for you. Good luck finding what works for you! All the best, Josh

Really nice work, the patterns are solid, the carving is clean and done well, the stitching is super clean, the edges are great and the finish fits perfect! Whenever you post your work the thing that always just amazes me is how clean your toe plugs are! All the best, Josh

Thanks! Forester, the brown is some drum dyed that I picked up from SLC a while back. The tan is Fiebings cut to 2 parts dye with 1 part rubbing alcohol applied with a scrap of shearling. A very light coat of neatsfoot oil that sat overnight to "soak" in. Followed by a dunk in 50/50 Mop& Glo and water. Once that is dry I rubbed a very small amount of Kiwi neutral polish on with my finger tips and buffed it off with a soft cloth.

Good looking set of Rugers Red! Stupid snaps!

Aside from not being able to get a snap set square on a strap to save my life I'm pretty happy with the latest off my bench. Have a great Memorial Day weekend folks! All the best, Josh

The color is phenomenal! What did you use to get it? Really clean and classy work all around. Nice!

Thanks Particle & 24VOLTS! I'm using a Cobra class 4 and I really like it!

Very nice! It's been a while since I've seen you post anything. Thanks for sharing this! All the best, Josh

Most of the western style single action "rigs" I've made aren't for Cowboy Action Shooters. I live in southwest Missouri in a very rural county and many of the rigs I've built get used while riding horseback or to carry a sidearm while hunting but most of the time they hang on a wall or go in a gun safe/cabinet. The use expected and to a large degree the personal preference of the end uses dictates how firm is "right". Most of the holsters I've seen from the late 1800's are around 8 oz, unlined and quite soft/broken in. Although I'm sure they were much more rigid when they were new over a hundred years ago. Use and sunlight will soften and darken leather. If someone wants to artificially weather or age leather you can start as small as a light coat of neats foot oil and setting it in the sun for an afternoon or go as heavy as throwing it in a wash cycle in a clothes washer then dragging it through gravel. Rigid and obviously brand new, or broken in and looking like it belongs in a museum, neither is necessarily right or wrong. It depends on the what it's wanted for and what the intended use is. My comments above are in regards to western style gun belts. In my opinion, carry holsters, whether open or concealed, should be rigid and in good repair as should any holster used in a shooting competition. Nice job on the rig you have pictured! All the best, Josh

Thanks Kiwican & SLP!

Just finished this up and thought it turned out pretty nice.

Looks great, nice job!

You are very welcome Steve. Good luck on your .357 holster! Post some pics when you get it all done up.

I know everybody is built different but it seems like the gun poking into your 'pendix' when you sat down would be pretty awkward too. Sure the kind of pistol you carry could make this better or worse, but at it's best it still seems awkward to me.

thanks Dwight and JLS!

I think holsters built with quality leather that are designed and assembled with solid principles ride tighter. I think this applies to the flat backed holsters that Chiefjason builds as well as the 80/20 holsters that JLS makes and I believe it is equally true of a 50/50 molded holster. If you make it out of quality leather and you have a solid design and good construction it will ride tight, hold the grip in close and hold up to use very well. I don't see the flat back or molded back as being that big of a determining factor, although I certainly could be wrong. To me the more important issues would be the location of the belt slots, the cant, the weight of the leather and the location on the hide the leather came from. Add to all of this a healthy amount of attention to detail and some sewing skills (whether by hand or machine) and you'll have a great holster. You each make great holsters, I don't attribute it to whether the back is flat or not. All the best, Josh